Jerry Summers
Numerous cities have claimed to be the Paris of the North, East, West, and the South.
The most famous comparison to the City of Lights locale of the guillotine trip of Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution, etc. is that of the number one namesake of New Orleans, Louisiana which was originally founded by the French.
With the yearly revelry of Mardi Gras and the appeal of the French Quarter and its famous restaurants and unique architectural designs, the reputation of the borough on the Big Easy is only exceeded by its national crime rate.
Originally it was called “Little Paris” and it retains its recognition as the number one “Paris of the South.”
However, Asheville, North Caroline (1900s); Buenos Aires (Argentina); Montpellier (France); Barcelona (Spain) and Nice (France) have all gained favorable recognition and designation as “Paris” in their locale and region.
Tennessee also has its own Paris in the Northwest corner of the state.
Although not directly on the Tennessee River it has tributaries of the West Sandy Creek that drains in an eastward direction into the Tennessee River and the man-made 160,000-acre Kentucky Lake and also has a westward route to the Mississippi River. The area includes Paris Landing State Park, an 841-acre facility that includes camping, lakeside cabin rentals and a golf course.
It was the first town incorporated in West Tennessee (1823) and was named after the French capitol in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).
In the early 1990s, a 65-foot wooden replica of the Eiffel Tower was constructed by students at Christian Brothers University (Memphis).
It was later replaced by a 70-foot metal reproduction of the original in France.
“The World’s Most Famous Fish Fry” annually held for a month in April has taken place for 70 years with a variety of activities that include parades, carnivals, rodeos, dances, arts and crafts, and beauty pageants.
(Politicians aspiring for local and statewide public office consider the event to be a mandatory public appearance in the Volunteer State)
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You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com